Micromanage throws hat into Haskell ring

Jul. 21, 2013

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| For NJ Press Media

OCEANPORT — Owner Mike Repole has confirmed that Long Branch Stakes winner Micromanage will make his next start in Sunday’s $1-million William Hill Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 28.

“His win in the Long Branch was very impressive,” said Repole. “He overcame a lot of trouble to win going away. He is 2-for-2 over the track and he is getting better every start.”

In the July 7 Long Branch, Monmouth’s last major prep for the Haskell, Micromanage was carried extremely wide going into the first turn before picking up horses going into the far turn and drawing clear in the stretch to win by 4½ lengths.

“I’m not sure what really happened around the first turn,” said jockey Joe Bravo, who was aboard Micromanage in the Long Branch. “We were sitting off horses and then we just ended up getting fanned out into the parking lot.

“After that, I thought the race was over, but around the 3/8ths pole he really started picking it up. That was a pretty impressive performance considering the trouble he got in.”

A $170,000 yearling purchase, Micromanage is by Medaglia d’Oro from the Flying Paster mare Catnip.

In six lifetime starts the Todd Pletcher-trainee sports a record of 3-1-0, having broken his maiden by an easy five lengths at Saratoga in his debut last September. He then faced last year’s champion 2-year-old Shanghai Bobby in the Champagne (Grade I) and then stablemate Overanalyze in the Remsen (Grade II).

Micromanage captured his first start as a 3-year-old, an allowance event at Monmouth, on May 11. He followed that up with a runner-up performance to Power Broker in the Easy Goer Stakes before taking the Long Branch.

He will once again face the division leaders in the Haskell with the field expected to include Preakness winner Oxbow, Wood Memorial winner Verrazano, Kentucky Derby runner-up Golden Soul and Grade I winner Power Broker. Others considering the Haskell for their next start include Pick of the Litter and Uncaptured.

“It looks like there will be a good pace and the added distance will help,” Repole said. “It’s very exciting to have a horse in the Haskell.”

The Haskell will highlight a 14-race card, which will include five graded stakes events. Gates will open at 10 a.m. with first post set for noon. The Haskell is slated as the 13th race with an estimated post time of 6:20 p.m.